Police Practices Defense Counsel Services & Insurance Coverage Defense Counsel Services

The City of East Orange, a municipal corporation in New Jersey, is soliciting Qualification Statements (RFQ) from qualified individuals and firms to provide specialized professional legal services in two key areas: Police Practices Defense Counsel Services and Insurance Coverage Defense Counsel Services. For Police Practices, the City seeks litigation and defense representation for its police officers facing various lawsuits arising from their employment duties, including Tort Claims Act (N.J.S.A. 59:1-1 et seq.), Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), Laws Against Discrimination (LAD), 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983 actions, contract disputes, and challenges to government action. For Insurance Coverage Defense, the scope includes negotiating insurance contract terms, advising the City on policy rights and obligations, acting as legal representative for claims, presenting and negotiating recoveries, and pursuing claims through litigation, mediation, or arbitration. The overarching goal is to establish a pool of approved attorneys to provide these critical legal services on an "as needed" basis, coordinated through the City's Third Party Insurance Administrator. Prospective contractors must demonstrate robust professional, financial, and administrative capabilities, including a proven record of litigation experience across Federal court, Superior court, Appellate court, and Workers’ Compensation venues. Firms are required to submit detailed resumes of key attorneys designated for City services, outlining their education and relevant experience. Mandatory compliance with New Jersey statutes is strictly enforced, specifically N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 et seq. (Affirmative Action), N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 (Disclosure of Ownership). Respondents must also provide a comprehensive listing of similar engagements over the past five years, particularly with municipal governments, complete with client contact information for reference checks. A minimum Professional Liability Insurance coverage of $1,000,000.00 per claim and a $3,000,000.00 aggregate each policy period is a strict requirement. There are no mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits specified for this RFQ. Qualification Statements must be hand-delivered or mailed to the East Orange Office of Procurement, located at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018, and must be received no later than **11:00 A.M. on Thursday, November 17, 2022**. Submissions via facsimile or email will not be accepted. Applicants must submit a separate qualification statement for each legal service applied for, enclosed individually in sealed envelopes. Detailed RFQ packets are available for download from www.eastorange-nj.gov or can be obtained in person from the Division of Procurement, City Hall, 1st Floor, Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM, for a non-refundable printing and administrative fee of $25.00 per packet (checks payable to the City of East Orange). The submission package requires one original (unbound), four copies, and one compact disk (CD) set, alongside various certifications including Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership, and a Business Registration Certificate. All communications regarding this RFQ should be directed to Racquel C. Ferguson, Office of Procurement, at (973) 266-5162. No bid security or performance bonds are explicitly required in the provided text.